Canon EF 135mm F2.8 Soft Focus

[raythefab]

Looking through the critique one of the most common things said is the pic is a bit soft, so why would anyone want this lens is it for a special purpose thank you...Ray:)

[Anorakus]

They're a specialist portrait lens - meant to give better results than a soft-focus (glass) filter.

I would have thought they're a bit outdated now, as any sort of soft-focus effect is easily achievable in Photoshop.

A.

[raythefab]

They're a specialist portrait lens - meant to give better results than a soft-focus (glass) filter.

I would have thought they're a bit outdated now, as any sort of soft-focus effect is easily achievable in Photoshop.

A.Ah right Anorakus thank you:thumbs:

[HoppyUK]

It's soft focus, not out of focus. A sharp core, surrounded by a variable halo of blur.

I bought a used one a few months ago, but sold it fairly soon after (they sell very quickly BTW!). I got it to do some soft focus flower pictures but it didn't work out because I needed a small aperture for depth of field, and when you stop it down beyond f/4 it starts getting sharp again. Switch out the soft focus effect, and it's a very sharp normal prime.

The soft focus effect is unique. You can get close to it with expensive filters like Zeiss Softars (£200 each) though I've never seen a Photoshop effect quite like it. But you can get close of course, and given the limitations of that lens in terms of fixed focal length and only two or three f/numbers where the effect is really visible, doing it in post gives you a lot more options.

For female portraits and romantic looking stuff, it's great. A good wedding lens I'd have thought, doubling up as a fast prime. The guy I sold it to one here (it went within hours) was going to shoot some fashion I think, which sounds spot on for something different.